This invention relates to an apparatus for detecting a trailing end of a memory card in a memory card reader. This detecting apparatus is usable when a memory card containing data is inserted into a given device so that the data contained in the memory card is provided to the device and data from the device is recorded in the memory card.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,034 discloses a detecting apparatus in which a memory card is provided on a front end edge thereof with first and second switch elements for the purpose of detecting a trailing end of the memory card.
This apparatus for detecting a trailing end of a memory card has disadvantages. Design of contacts, assembly of the apparatus and its structure for contacting a wiring circuit board are limited, because the apparatus occupies a space for installing terminals of the contacts used for contacting corresponding electrode pads arranged on the memory card.
Also, insertion force for the memory card is too strong, because the switch elements apply a resilient force (discharging force) in an opposite direction with respect to a direction of insertion of the memory card to a front end edge of the memory card. Further, a mechanism is needed for assuredly retaining the position of the trailing end of the memory card against the resilient force.
In a comparable apparatus disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,827, first and second switch elements are arranged on one end portion of a memory card. Due to the foregoing arrangement, this apparatus disadvantageously has an enlarged space for insertion of the memory card. In addition, the above apparatus disadvantageously has the switch elements vertically implanted with respect to a direction of the thickness of the memory card so that extending terminals can be brought into electrical connection with a wiring circuit board and a card sensitive portion extends parallel to the surface of the memory card. A space required for the switching elements is large in the direction of the thickness of the memory card and therefore, a thinner design of the apparatus is difficult to obtain.
Furthermore, mutual wiping action between the first switching element and the second switching element cannot be expected and a reliable electrical contact is difficult to obtain as a result of a smaller design for the switch elements.
The present invention has been created in view of the above inconveniences that are inherent in the conventional apparatuses.